White Olive Tree

Chapter 34

Chapter 34
When Li Zan returned home and changed his shoes, he saw that the slippers Song Ran had just worn belonged to his father.  When she wore it, one of her small feet was covered in it, making her walk clatteringly. 
He changed his shoes, threw the keys into the bowl, and entered the house.  The lights were on in the room, the dining table and kitchen were clean, and there was still a trace of the aroma of rice in the air.
He leaned into the sofa, raised his head and stared at the sky for a while, then took out his cell phone and called Chen Feng.
……
Early the next morning, Li Zan went to the army.
At eight o'clock on time, he arrived downstairs at the military teaching building. Chen Feng stood on the steps waiting for him.
Seeing that his hair was cut short, Chen Feng's eyebrows flew high and he looked happy, but he didn't say much. He just took a deep breath, patted his shoulder several times, and said, "Just come back."
Chen Feng took him into the building, walked to a classroom, and knocked on the door.
It was not yet class time, and there was only a soldier in his thirties or forties inside, who was writing and drawing on the blackboard with a piece of chalk.
That was Colonel Lin Miao'an, the first person to dispose of bombs in the Jiangcheng Military Region, with great military exploits.  Li Zan studied with him for the first two years of his military academy, and later he was transferred to other areas to perform tasks.
Lin Miao'an met Li Zan, looked him up and down, and said with a smile: "A-Zan has grown up. He is also more handsome."
"Teacher." Li Zan still used the original title, a little surprised, "I didn't even know you were back."
"It's a coincidence," Chen Feng said, "Old Lin has just been transferred back to Jiangcheng. The army needs to give basic explosion-proof courses to outstanding officers and soldiers, so that a group can be selected for professional training. Old Lin is a master officer and is short of an assistant. I thought about it. If it's just right, you can follow suit and take classes along the way to learn more."
Lin Miaoan asked: "How are your ears now?"
Li Zan understood what he meant and said, "It's no problem to simulate it."
Lin Miao'an: "Can't touch the real thing?"
Li Zan smiled.
Chen Feng said hurriedly: "It's much better now. Old Lin, you don't know that at the beginning, you couldn't even think about it. Just thinking about it made you roll all over the bed in pain."
Lin Miao'an said warmly: "Cooperate well with the military doctors' treatment. Don't rush. Take your time. I don't really have any ammunition for you here for the time being."
Li Zan nodded: "Yes."
Just as he was talking, some recruits walked into the classroom. When they saw them, they immediately stood up and saluted with a military salute.
Seeing that class was about to start, Chen Feng said to Lin Miao'an: "Then after the formalities are completed, the child will be handed over to you."
Lin Miao'an nodded and said, "My students, I'm here to recycle them."
Chen Feng took Li Zan into the corridor. Seeing that Li Zan had a calm expression and did not speak, he asked, "You said you didn't want to do a civilian job, but what about this? Are you still not satisfied?"

Li Zan listened and smiled lightly: "I just want to go back to the army to repair the car. It would be better for you to get me such a satisfactory one."
Chen Feng laughed loudly, pointed at him twice, and sighed: "You finally figured it out. I thought you had to give me a year and a half. I contacted Dr. Jackson, and he said he would give it to you for the last time. After the operation, your recovery is going well. You will be able to recover physically in half a year. But there is nothing he can do about the tinnitus caused by the psychological trauma. He has done everything he should do."
Li Zan was silent for a moment, then smiled slowly and said: "I know. The last time I saw him, he told me that there was no more surgery. But at that time..."
He still had tinnitus when he was in pain, and he felt there was no way he could be saved.
Chen Feng hooked his shoulders and led him out, saying: "A-Zan, let the past go by and don't dwell on it in your heart. You are still young and your days will be long. How many years do you have the ability you have?" It’s a pity to lose what you have learned through hard work. You don’t need to tell me what you are thinking. As long as you cooperate well with the military doctors and insist on treatment, you will get better. I know you have great ambitions and don’t want to switch to a civilian job at a young age. Don’t worry, I'll help you with organizational relations. You learn from Lao Lin first. When you recover and return to the training ground one day, I will try my best to help you. But you can't be decadent anymore."
Li Zan listened quietly, only the flashing eyes revealed the turmoil in his heart. He didn't know whether he was unwilling, or he was resentful, or he had made up his mind.
He bit his jaw and nodded vigorously.
……
A few days later, Li Zan went through a simple resignation procedure at the Baixi Road Police Station.
It was at this time that Zhao Yuanli was detained by the police.  The police have found substantial evidence.
However, the news this time did not attract much attention.  There are no new revelations, the popularity has faded, and netizens have turned their attention to new events.  This made the policemen breathe a sigh of relief.
The work at the police station is also a bit more relaxed.  When Li Zan was packing his things that day, everyone was there, gathering and chatting.
He has been on the job for less than a month, but the police officers have a good relationship with him.
Xiao Jia joked: "Just hold Ah Zan captive and don't let him go back."
Li Zan chuckled lightly and said, "It will be the same if we get together often in the future."
Xiao Yi said: "A-Zan is a bomb disposal elite. How can he stay in our small place for the rest of his life?"
Xiao Bing sighed: "Hey, I don't know when I will be promoted. The grassroots work is too tiring. Zhao Yuanli will beat me to death just this time."
Everyone sighed and couldn't help but start talking about the case.
Xiao Yi came over and said, "A-Zan, I didn't expect that what your journalist friend wrote was true. We misunderstood her before. Please help us apologize."
Li Zan smiled and said, "Okay. She has a good personality and won't mind."
On the side, Xiao Ding told people: "I heard from a friend of the criminal police that when we went to arrest Zhao Yuanli, he refused to admit it and clamored for an appeal. His relatives were scolding him, saying that the reporter harmed him, and the scolding was very unpleasant, saying There will be retribution, there won’t be a good ending or anything like that.”
Li Zan was packing up his notebook, and when he heard this, he frowned inadvertently.
……
Song Ran's resignation was approved.
The station has been thinking about it for a long time. After all, it is not easy to cultivate a good reporter.  However, considering her condition and fearing that her condition would worsen if she continued to stay, the decision was finally approved.  The station expressed the hope that she could come back to help as a freelance reporter or special reporter when the TV station needs it in the future.
Song Ran said yes.
This is the best outcome for both parties.
After the resignation was finalized, colleagues in the department gathered together for a farewell dinner.  When Shen Bei heard that she resigned, she also came to the banquet.  She does a good job in the entertainment department, and everyone is a little more approachable than before.
Colleagues have had so many meals together, and this is the most relaxing one.
Xiaoqiu had the best relationship with Song Ran. She was very reluctant to leave and said, "Ran Ran, if you leave, we will have to think hard about choosing topics in the future."
Liu Yufei smiled: "You guys should also improve your abilities. Who can rely on whom in the workplace for a lifetime?"
Xiaodong shouted: "Old Liu, you are right. That's right, that's right, just like Ran Ran, we are all freeloaders."
There is no harm in joking, and Song Ran couldn't help but laugh.
Shen Bei peeled the shrimp and said, "However, it would be a pity to resign because of that incident in middle school. You didn't do anything wrong in the first place."
Everyone lamented: "Yes, Ran Ran, why are you resigning? You did nothing wrong."
Song Ran smiled: "I just want to take a break, it has nothing to do with this."
Xiaochun: "However, it is a mystery whether Zhu Yanan suffered psychological violence from Zhao Yuanli. There is no direct evidence."
Xiao Xia: "But Wang Han's matter is certain. Zhao Yuanli is now detained."
Xiaoqiu: "Fortunately, Wang Han stood up, otherwise Ran Ran would have been doomed this time. That kid is still very courageous."
Song Ran nodded casually.
Shen Bei asked: "What are your plans in the future, to go to other TV stations?"
"Song Ran will go to the Imperial City. Mom is there and should be of great help." Liu Yufei said, "Song Ran's mother is a big shot. I only found out this time when I looked at the files."
"What?" Everyone was curious.
Liu Yufei talked about Ran Yuwei's position.
Everyone was in an uproar.
Shen Bei was also stunned for a moment.
Xiao Qiu exclaimed: "Ran Ran, you are so low-key. I have never heard of you."
Song Ran was a little embarrassed: "That's her job, and it has nothing to do with me. What's there to say?"
Shen Bei said: "If I were you, I would go to the Imperial City to develop."
Xiaodong said: "But Ranran doesn't need to rely on her parents anymore. With her reputation and ability, she can go anywhere."
Song Ran pursed her lips and smiled. She didn't think much about it. She just wanted to eat seriously. The food at this local restaurant today was quite good.  While I was just eating, I suddenly remembered the time I went to Li Zan’s house to cook that day.
She couldn't help but be distracted, silently thinking to herself, next time... there might be a chance.
After the meal was over, everyone said goodbye one by one.
Shen Bei passed by Song Ran and suddenly asked: "Li Zan no longer works at the police station, did you know?"
Song Ran said: "I know."
Shen Bei was stunned for a moment and asked, "How did you know?"
Song Ran said: "He told me."
Shen Bei stopped asking, smiled slightly, and said, "Everything will go well in the future."
Song Ran smiled: "You too."
……
The breeze is cool at night.
After Song Ran waited on the platform for a while, the train arrived.
There were only a few passengers on the bus at night. Song Ran sat in the last row and read the text messages Li Zan sent her.
He said he resigned today.
At this time, I am probably having dinner with my colleagues.
As he was watching, his phone rang and a text message came in. It was Wang Han.
Wang Han said that the investigation of the case is almost complete now, and he will not return to his original school.  This time, his parents paid enough attention to him and planned to transfer him to another school.  Soon, he will go to another city to repeat his senior year of high school.  I will study hard in the future and hope to get into a good university in the future.
At the end of the text message, he said: "Sister, after Zhu Yanan jumped off the building, I wanted to jump too. But then, you called me. Thank you."
Song Ran replied to him: "Be good in the future."
Putting down her phone, Song Ran opened the window and looked outside. The night was finally no longer cold.
The bus stopped at Beimen Street Station.
Song Ran got out of the car, took out the flashlight from his bag, and walked towards Qingzhi Lane.
The temperature has warmed up in the past two days, and there is finally a bit of a belated breath of spring, but now it is late at night, and there is still a bit of coolness.
Song Ran's clothes were thin, and she walked deeper into the alley holding herself, trembling slightly.
The sound of footsteps hitting the bluestone alley was crisp and messy...
Suddenly, she alertly heard footsteps that did not belong to her.
Song Ran looked back and saw two figures in the darkness not far behind him, wearing hats and walking quickly.
Song Ran had lived in this area for a long time and felt that the two people looked strange.  Maybe it was a young man taking a shortcut nearby.
But she still uneasily quickened her pace, almost jogging - the alley was lined with elementary school walls and there were no residents.  Green Alley is still far ahead.
But as she ran, the people behind her suddenly increased their speed and caught up with her.
Song Ran ran hard, but she couldn't outrun the man.  The hood of the coat was quickly pulled by someone. Song Ran was startled, turned off the flashlight, turned back to the person's eyes and quickly pressed the switch twice.  The enhanced flashlight light shined through, leaving the other party unprepared and so irritated that he let go and covered his eyes.
The flashlight shone on the fruit knife in the opponent's hand, reflecting a cold light.
"Help!" Song Ran ran forward desperately, and the people behind him chased her again.
Song Ran rushed to the corner and was about to shout with all his strength when he ran into a black shadow.  She was so shocked that she lost her voice, thinking that disaster was coming, but she didn't want to throw herself into the arms of someone with a familiar breath in the next second.  With one hand, Li Zan caught her who was coming towards her and turned him behind to protect her. He raised his leg and gave a heart-wrenching kick, sending the person coming from the front several meters away.  Another man stepped forward with a knife to stab him, but Li Zan gave him a round kick, accurate and hard, knocking the fruit knife out of his hand.